Quote:“Bel Thorne,” she said. “Are you prepared, in the presence of witnesses, to swear fealty to myself under the eyes of God and His Holy Church?”
Naismith’s eyes were bright. His private thoughts were clearly amusing him, but the Admiral kept a poker face. In that soft, androgynous voice, Thorne stumbled through the appropriate reply, outlining the reservations Naismith had stipulated, and swore to bear true service to her, and to obey her lawful orders. She took the rest of their oaths, then, letting the rest refer to Thorne’s oath instead of going through the reservations one by one. Taura was the last to take oath, but Naismith, as agreed, did not swear.
He did sign a contract "with his personal word on it and hers as well" though and probably whatever oaths he swore when he became the Steadholder Consort. Very vague. I'd imagine that abducting a Steadholder's kid - even if it's partly "yours" - probably constitutes some sort of oath breaking. Not to mention, Miles is going to be vilified as deadbeat, sexist dad galore after abandoning his own two daughters. The rest of the group is firmly in the oathbreaker's and treasonous category though and most likely, persona non-grata on Grayson and Manticore.
I find it funny that Miles probably just started the feud if not war he was trying to prevent.
Worst character assassination has to be Samantha's though. First, finding a new bond mate mere days - at most, a week - after Harry dies. Second, agreeing to leave Nimitz, her own life mate...